The US nuclear industry is entering a period of expansion, with regulators clearing plant restarts and license extensions that add firm generation to the grid. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the restart of Holtec's Palisades reactor in Michigan, which is scheduled to return to service later this year, marking a notable reversal for a plant that had been shut down.
More capacity is set to follow. Constellation's Crane Clean Energy Center in Pennsylvania is slated to restart in 2027, and Duane Arnold in Iowa is expected to follow in 2029. Separately, Vistra received approval to extend operation of its Perry nuclear plant in Ohio through 2046, keeping a large baseload unit online for two additional decades.
The restarts and extensions come as demand for reliable, high-capacity power climbs, driven in part by data centers and broader electrification. Today's 94 licensed commercial reactors generate close to 20 percent of the nation's electricity, and policymakers have set an ambitious target of expanding US nuclear capacity from roughly 100 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts by 2050.
Regulatory reform is helping clear the path. The ADVANCE Act directs the NRC to streamline the licensing of new reactors and fuels while maintaining safety and security standards, addressing staffing, budgeting flexibility, and the framework for advanced designs. The combination of restarts, extensions, and a reshaped licensing process reflects a shift in how utilities and regulators view nuclear as a source of dependable output. For grid operators managing rising peak demand, keeping existing reactors running and returning idled units to service adds capacity faster than building new plants.
Source: American Nuclear Society -- https://www.ans.org/news/2026-07-16/article-8210/nuclear-is-ready-now/